Hearse and coffin barrow



-- (Model) lSheets-Sheet 1. J..B. STOBTZEL.

HEARSB AND'G'OFFIN BARROW. I

Patented Dec. 13,1881.

(ModeL) 4 SheetsSheet 3.

' J. E. ST'OETZEL.

HEARSB AND OOEFI'N BARROW. v No. 250,997. J Paitented Deb. 13,1881.

WITNESSES IgVENTOR ATTORNEY N. PETERS. PhohrLilhcgnphQr. wuhingion. D.C.

4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

(ModeL) J. E. STOETZEL.

HEARSE AND GOFPIN BARROW.

Patented Dec. 13,1881.

INVENTOR WITNESSES TTORNEY u PETERS. Pnwmc mw. W-hinglun. n. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN E. STOETZEL, OF PERU, ILLINOIS.

HEARSE AND COFFIN BARROW.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 250,997, dated December13, 1881,

Application filed April 28, 1881.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN E. S'roETzEL, of Peru, in the county of LaSalle and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Hearse and Ooftin Barrows; and I do hereby declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains tomake and use it, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, whichform part of this specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in hearse and coffin barrows, theobject being to provide a barrow which shall be light, simple, andeconomical in construction, and provided with devices for its secureattachment to a coffin-box and prevent the displacement of the latter,and also provided with devices for its removable attachment to thebottom of the hearse.

With these ends in view my invention consists in certain features ofconstruction and arrangement of parts, as will hereinafter be described,and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a view in perspective of myimproved hearse and coflin barrow. Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of one endof the barrow. Fig. 3 is a detached plan view of a pair of theadjustable rack bars or plates. Fig. 4 is a plan view of the under sideof one ofthe adjustable supporting-pieces, showing the location andarrangement of the sliding bolts and springs. Fig. 5 represents thebarrow secured to the bottom ofthe hearse. Fig. 6 is a view in sideelevation .of one of the folding legs and jointed brace. Fig. 7 showsthe legs in their folded position. Fig. 8 is an enlarged detached viewof one of the adjustable stops. Fig. 9 is a detached view of one of theside handles, and Fig. 10 is a transverse section. 1

AA represent the side frame-pieces, andB B the end cross-bars, of thebarrow, while the frame is braced by the intermediate cross-bars, B BThe side pieces, A A, project beyond the cross-bars B B, and are formedinto handles O, by which the barrow is transported from place to place.D D are folding legs, a pair being located at each end of the barrow.Legs D D are connected by a brace, a, and are pivoted at their upperends on a rod, 12,

(Model) secured at its ends to the side pieces, B B. These legs areprovided with folding braces E, the opposite ends of which are pivotedto the side frame and leg. Braces E are formed with a knuckle-joint, sothat, the jointed portion beingdepressed,thelegs areheld firmly againstdisplacement while supporting the barrowframe. By raising the jointedportion of the braces the latter are readily folded, and thereby allowthe legs to be snugly folded beneath the barrow-frame.

Each one of the side pieces, A A, has connected therewith, near itslongitudinal center, an adjustable handle, F, which may be forcedinwardly, so as to be flush with the outer sur face of the side pieces,thereby forming no obstruction in sliding the barrow into the hearse.When the handles are desired for use they may be pulled out a sufiicientdistance to be grasped by the hand. The inner faces or sides of the sidepieces are rabbeted, as at ff, and upon the upper faces thereof aresecured the metal or wooden strips G G, whereby there is formed agroove, 9 on the inner sides of each side piece.

At opposite ends of the barrow-frame are located the adjustablecross-bars or supports H H, the opposite ends of which are inserted inthe grooves 9, whereby said cross-bars or supports are prevented fromvertical displacement and allowed a movement toward and from each other.Each one of the cross-bars or supports H H is provided with twospringbolts, I 1, the inner ends of which are bent to form handles 2',which latter are acted upon by the free ends t" i of the spring 1fastened to the under side of the supports. Bolts I I engage in theseries of holes J formed in the side pieces, A A, and allow thecross-bars or supports H H to be looked in any desired position. Whenalong coffin or casket is to be secured to the barrow these supports aresecured near the opposite ends of the side pieces, and when a shortcasket is to be secured to the barrow the supports are secured nearerits center.

Upon the upper face of each one of the crossbars or supports H H issecured a guide, K, which may be made of wood with two metal strips, 7070, secured to its upper surface, or it may be made of a single piece ofcasting, as

desired. ,Within the guide K are placed the two sliding rack bars orplates L L, each having a series ofnotches or depressions, Z,formedtherein.

M is an adjustable stop, consisting ofa plate, m, having apawl,m,pivoted in one end thereof, said pawlbeing provided with anextension, m to enable it to be raised and disengaged from the notchesin the adjustable rack bar or plate. The rear end of plate m is providedwith an upwardly-projectin g flange, m, which engages with the loweredge of the casket.

Each one of the adjustable rack bars or plates is provided with one ofthese stops M, which are secured in place by their pawls engaging in thenotches or depressions l. The stops are secured to the rack bars orplates at proper distances from each other to allow of the insertion ofthe coffin or casket between them, when the rack bars or plates aremoved toward each other simultaneously, and the stops firmly engagedwith the opposite sides of the cottin, thereby firmly securing thelatter against displacement.

The following mechanism is employed for imparting movement to the rackbars or plates:

0 are'bell-crank levers, and are pivoted to the cross-bars or supports HH. Each lever O is connected by a link, 0, with one end of a pivotedbar, 0, located in a slot or recess in the support or cross-bar. Theopposite ends of the bar 0! are connectedwith the rack bars or plates bythe links pp.

To the cross-bars or supports B H are secured the locking-plates P, eachhaving an upturned flange, 19 provided with a series of ratchet-teeth,11 with which engages the lip 19 on the handle end of the bell-cranklever, whereby, the latter being actuated, the rack bars or plates aremoved simultaneously either toward or from each other, according to thedirection in which the lever is moved. To the rear cross bar or brace ofthe barrow-frame is secured a bracket, Q, in which is pivoted alewardlyand cause them to engage in holes in the hearse-bottom, thus securelyfastening the barrow-frame to the hearse-bottom.

It is evident that many slight changes in details of construction andarrangement of parts might be resorted to without avoiding the spirit ofmy invention, and hence I would have it understood that I do not limitmyself to the exact construction and arrangement of parts shown anddescribed, but make no claim in this application to features ofconstruction and combinations of parts disclosed in the prior jointapplication of Haas and Stoetzel.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In ahearse and coffin barrow, the combina tion, with the sideframe-pieces having grooves formed in their inner and adjacent sides,ot' the adjustable cross-bars having sliding bolts connected therewith,and a spring having its free ends arranged to engage with the adjacentends of said sliding bolts or rods, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with the adjustable cross-bar having a guide securedthereto, of adjustable rack bars or plates located in said guide, stopsprovided with pa ls supported in said rackbars, and devices for movingthe rack bars or plates toward or from each other, substantially as setforth.

3. In ahearse andcoftin barrow, the combination, with the rack bars orplates and adjustable stops provided with pawls, of a bell-crank lever,links connecting same with the rack bars or plates, and a notched platefor retaining the lever in any desired position, substantially as setforth.

4. Thecombination, with the adjustable rack bars or plates, of stopshaving pawls pivoted thereto at one end, and provided withupwardly-projecting flanges attheir opposite ends, substantially as setforth.

5. The combination, with the supportingframe ofa hearse and coffinbarrow, ot' the two sliding bolts and a lever for moving said boltsinwardly or outwardly, as desired, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this12th day of April, 1881.

JOHN E. STOETZEL.

Witnesses:

GEo. PERRY, W. W. DINGEL.

